The Greatest Gift Of All ... :) Shangy!
>Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList:
To Subscribe send a blank email to
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To UnSubscribe send a blank email to
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Group home page:
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Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an
adult club in the love and romance directory so
you will have to confirm that you are an adult
when you go here. I still have no idea how to change
this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try!
or Web Site:
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html
Group email address:
ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com
or email me here:
bcrsystems@earthlink.net
================
>-->Hot Off The 'Shangy' Press :)
This scorcher comes from our friends Sandi and Jo Ann!
One of those ones that will leave you awestruck, which
is exactly what our God and Father likes to do for us so
of course I could not resist doing it up to bless all of
you too! Check it out here...
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Thailand's Tigers
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tiger.html
---
...Wonderful! Thanks Ladies!
============================================================
>-->From Heartwarmers:
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>A PINK DRESS AND GOLDEN WINGS
by Nancy Julien Kopp
In the 1940s, we city folk didn't cut down a tree in the fields,
but kept our own tradition.
On a cold December evening, Dad announced that it was time to find
a Christmas tree. My two younger brothers and I grabbed heavy coats,
hats, gloves and snow boots, and ran to our 1939 Plymouth. Our
excitement bubbled over in giggles and hoots.
The corner lot was normally empty. But in December, dozens of
trees magically appeared, lined up like soldiers going into battle. A
string of electric light bulbs ringed the entire lot, so customers
could see the trees with no problem. The proprietors had erected a
wooden teepee-like frame to display two dead deer and a black bear in a
prominent corner. Animal rights groups didn't protest in those days.
My brothers and I marched round and round the frozen animals. "Go
ahead, touch it," Howard dared. My hand reached within inches of the
thick, matted fur, but I quickly drew it back.
"You first," I challenged, but Howard only circled the animals,
hands behind him. Meanwhile, Dad walked the rows of trees, pulling a
few upright, shaking the snow off. He called to us, and we crunched
across the frozen snow-packed ground.
"No," we chorused. "It's not big enough." We followed Dad and
thumbed our noses at several others. "Not big enough," we said,
stamping cold feet to warm them.
The owner ambled over, so bundled up he looked akin to the dead
bear. He kept a cigar clamped in his teeth and wore gloves with the
fingers cut off, so he could peel off dollar bills from the stack he
carried when making change.
Dad shook the man's hand and said, "OK, let's see the good trees
now."
The burly man moved the cigar from one side of his mouth to the
other, rolled his eyes and finally gestured for us to follow him.
We moved across the pine-scented lot to a brick building. The man
opened a door, and we tromped single-file down a long flight of
concrete steps. Dozens of trees leaned against the walls. Dad pulled
out one after the other until he found a tree that we three children
deemed "big enough."
Silence now, as the serious part of this adventure commenced. Dad
and the cigar chomping man dickered about the price. Finally, money
changed hands, and Dad hoisted the tree and we jostled one another up
the steps to be closer to the green treasure.
Dad fastened the tree to the top of the car with the rope he'd
brought with us. The boys and I knelt on the back seat, watching to
make sure the tree didn't slide off the roof of the car during the
short drive.
Once home, Dad hauled the tree up three flights of stairs to our
apartment and put it on our small outdoor balcony. Several times a
day, I peered through the glass door to check that no one had stolen
it. Why I thought someone would climb to the third floor to steal our
tree is a wonder.
Days later, Dad carried the tree inside and tried to put it in the
stand, but it was no use. The tree was too tall. It should have been
no surprise, as it happened every year. Dad found his favorite saw and
cut several inches off the tree trunk. When he put it in the stand, it
rose like a flagpole, straight and tall, nearly touching the ceiling.
There was a collective "Ahhh" from the entire family.
Dad hummed a Christmas tune as he strung the many-colored lights,
then Mother helped us hang sparkly ornaments, and we finished with
strand upon strand of silver tinsel. Finally, Dad climbed a step-stool
and placed the last piece on the top. What joy to see our special
angel with the pink satin dress and golden wings. There were times I
could swear she smiled at me.
That sweet angel got lost somewhere over the years. Most likely,
she'd become tattered and torn, and Mother discarded her.
Now, my husband brings our tree upstairs from a basement storage
closet. Artificial, always the same height, never needs to be made
shorter. It's easier, but I miss those cold, snowy excursions to the
tree lot with my brothers. I still put an angel on top of the tree.
She's nice but not quite the same as the one with the pink dress and
golden wings.
Family traditions may change, but the memories last forever.
They are what makes us the people we are today.
-- Nancy Julien Kopp
__________________________________________________
Nancy draws from her growing-up years in Chicago and many more in
Manhattan, Kansas, for essays, stories, poems, and articles. Her work
is in eleven Chicken Soup for the Soul books, two Guideposts
anthologies, magazines, newspapers, and ezines. A former teacher, she
still enjoys teaching through the written word.
=================================================================
>-->From Our Friend Johanna :)
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>THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT By Linda C. Stafford
My husband and I had been happily married (most of the time)
for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided
to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would
give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with
all my heart and raise it with His word as my guide.
God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son.
The next year God blessed us with another son.
The following year, He blessed us with yet another son.
The year after that we were blessed with a daughter.
My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty.
We now had four children, and the oldest was only four
years old.
I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it
As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure
you carry an umbrella."
I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children
each day as they lay in their cribs..
I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me
with four children and I didn't want to disappoint Him.
I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen
eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks.
I tried to be understanding... when they started a hotel for
homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me
nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs. When my
daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a
blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the
humor rather than the mess..
In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers,
never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than
thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children.
While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother -
I didn't even come close... I did keep my promise
to raise them in the Word of God.
I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told
my daughter we were going to church to worship God,
and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to
"wash up" Jesus, too.
Something was lost in the translation when
I explained that God gave us everlasting life,
and my son thought it was generous of God to give
us his "last wife."
My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas
pageant.
My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds
and my youngest son was a wise man.
This was their moment to shine. My five-year-old shepherd
had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said,
"The baby was wrapped in wrinkled clothes."
My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,'
silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes."
A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost
her left wing.
I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary
dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced
down the aisle crying, "Mama-mama." Mary grabbed the doll,
wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived.
My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe
and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are
the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common
sense and fur."
The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got
a standing ovation. "I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as
much as this one," laughed the pastor, wiping tears from his
eyes "For the rest of my life, I'll never hear the Christmas
story without thinking of gold, common sense and fur."
"My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest
blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher .
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.
If you believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son,
send this to all on your buddy list.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
---
...Aww, thank you Johanna!
=======================================================
>-->From Laugh&Lift:
Today's Song: "My Hands are the Hands (That God Will Use)"
I like this song alot, especially once it slows down after the initial
quick pace. A great prayer song for us all to pray!
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To listen and/or download the MP3, please click the following link:
http://www.laughandlift.com/members/audiovideo/myhands.html
-<>-
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>Heartprints
(Author Unknown)
Whatever our hands touch--
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture,
On doorknobs, dishes, books,
As we touch we leave our identity.
Oh, Lord, please where ever I go today,
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
and genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter,
Or an anxious mother,
Or, perhaps, a dear friend!
I shall go out today
To leave heartprints,
And if someone should say
"I felt your touch,"
May that one sense be...
YOUR LOVE, LORD
Touching through ME.
-<>-
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>You are Blessed
(Author Unknown)
If you own a Bible, you are abundantly blessed. About 1/3 of the world
does not have access to one.
If you wake up each morning with more health than illness, you are
blessed to rise and shine, to live and to serve in a new day.
If you have anyone on the planet, just one person that loves you and
listens to you; count this a blessing.
If you can freely attend a church meeting without fear, then you are
more blessed than over 1/3 of the world.
If you pray today or any day, you are blessed because you believe in
God's willingness to hear your prayer.
If you pray for someone else, you are blessed because you want to help
others also.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof
over your head, and a place to sleep; all at the same time; you are
rich in this world.
If you have a brother or sister in Christ that will pray with you and
for you, you benefit from a spiritual unity, bond, and agreement, which
the gates of hell cannot stand against.
If you have an earthly family that even halfway love you and support
you, you are blessed beyond measure.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, or some spare change in
a dish someplace, you are among the world's wealthy.
If you can go to bed each night, knowing that God loves you, you are
blessed beyond measure.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than about 1/3 of
the world who cannot read at all.
If you have never had to endure the hardship and agony of battle,
imprisonment, or torture, you are blessed in indescribable measure.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug another person, touch someone on
the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.
If you can share a word of encouragement with someone else, and do it
with His love in your heart, you are blessed because you have learned
how to give.
If you have the conviction to stand fast upon His Word and His
promises, no matter what, you are blessed because you are learning
patience, endurance, and tenacity.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly
thankful, you are blessed because most people can, but many will not.
Be Thankful to your Lord!
-<>-
The Laugh
>Quick Jokes
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It does not always pay to pray. In Caribou County, British
Columbia, a man was accused of setting a forest fire. Left alone in a
room at the police station, he fell to his knees and prayed, "Oh God,
please let me get away with it." The prayer was picked up by a closed
circuit television camera. It was ultimately admitted into evidence and
used against him
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Our kindergarten class went to the fire station for a tour and some
instruction in fire safety. The fireman was explaining what to do in
case of a fire. He said, "First, go to the door and feel the door to
see if it's hot." Then he said, "Fall to your knees. Does anyone know
why you ought to fall to your knees?"
One of the little tykes said, "Sure, to start praying to ask God to
get us out of this mess!"
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There was a five-year-old attending a formal wedding some years
ago. The girl was sitting with her grandmother. She had been in Sunday
school but had never attended a formal church service.
During the wedding, the minister said, "Let us pray." Each person
bowed his head in prayer. The little girl looked around and saw all the
heads bowed and eyes turned toward the floor and she cried:
"Grandmother, what are they all looking for?"
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>CHILDREN'S LETTERS TO GOD
Dear GOD, I read the Bible. What does begat mean? Nobody will tell me.
Love, Alison
Dear GOD, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an
accident? -Norma
Dear GOD, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones,
why don't You just keep the ones You have now? -Jane
Dear GOD, Who draws the lines around the countries? -Nan
Dear GOD, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is
that okay? -Neil
Dear GOD, Did you really mean "do unto others as they do unto you"?
Because if you did, then I'm going to fix my brother. -Darla
Dear GOD, Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a
puppy. -Joyce
Dear GOD, It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He
said some things about You that people are not supposed to say, but I
hope You will not hurt him anyway. Your friend (But I am not going to
tell you who I am)
Dear GOD, Why is Sunday school on Sunday? I thought it was supposed to
be our day of rest. -Tom L.
Dear GOD, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before, You
can look it up. -Bruce
Dear GOD, If You give me a genie lamp like Aladin, I will give you
anything you want, except my money or my chess set. -Raphael
Dear GOD, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they
had their own rooms. It works with my brother. -Larry
Dear GOD, You don't have to worry about me. I always look both ways.
-Dean
Dear GOD, I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.
-Ruth M.
Dear GOD, Of all the people who work for You I like Noah and David the
best. -Rob
Dear GOD, My brother told me about being born but it doesn't sound
right. They're just kidding, aren't they? -Marsha
Dear GOD, I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the Bible.
Love, Chris
Dear GOD, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in school they said You
did it. So I bet he stoled your idea. Sincerely, Donna
Dear GOD, I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset
you made on Tuesday. That was cool! -Eugene
SUBSCRIBE INFO
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about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com
==================================================================
>-->From Archived InspiredBuffalo:
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>Peace Prayer
May the people on this planet be changed.
Changed from hatred to love,
Changed from greed to giving,
Changed from selfishness to selflessness,
Changed from apathy to action,
Changed from jealousy to joy over someone's accomplishments,
Changed from intolerance to acceptance,
Changed from being destructive to being constructive,
Changed from fighting to peace,
Changed from killing to protecting life,
Changed from censorship to freedom,
Changed from ignorance to education,
Changed from fearing our differences to rejoicing our variety.
May we each take it upon ourselves to feed the hungry, cure the sick,
House the homeless, educate the illiterate, love the unloved,
Compete to do the right thing instead of winning at any cost,
Be heroes that teach our children to
Make the world a better place instead of glorifying violence and war,
Stand up and speak out against things that are wrong
Instead of sitting back and waiting for someone else,
Demand honesty from our governments,
Demand honesty from ourselves.
May we each take responsibility for our own actions
And realize that by refusing to change ourselves,
We condone all the evils in the world.
If one person changes, they teach others by example,
Who in turn change and teach more,
One person becomes as a pebble rolling down a mountain,
Picking up more pebbles as it continues,
Becoming an avalanche of change.
It can happen, it must happen, it will happen.
To make this prayer work, you have to change yourself.
1997 Don Morris
-<>-
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>Tis the Month Of Christmas
Tis the month of Christmas, we're all going nuts;
With so much to do, there's no ifs, ands or buts.
Buy presents, hang tree lights, pop cards in the mail,
Send gift packs, thread popcorn, find turkeys on sale.
Decorations need stringing up all through the house.
And you haven't a clue what to buy for your spouse.
School concerts, receptions, open houses with friends,
Long lineups, short tempers, tying up the loose ends.
With all our mad dashing, we're reeling from shock;
Let's stop for a minute and really take stock.
Take time for yourself - though hard as that seems -
Enjoy your kids' laughter, excitement and dreams.
Take a moment out now, don't get overly riled,
Instead make an angel in the snow with your child.
The shortbread can wait, and so can the tree;
What's important to feel is a child's sense of glee.
The holidays aren't about push, rush and shove;
They're for friendship and sharing and family love.
Hear the bells, feel the warmth, light up with the glow
Of a message first sent to us so long ago:
Peace, love, goodwill, and hope burning bright.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
-<>-
* . .
. | . *
* . \|/ .
. -->*Night Of Love...
The night was still and silent,
Yet the heavens shone brightly above...
Something extraordinary was happening...
God was sending man His love...
Shepherds fled from the fields
To follow a wondrous star...
Wise men watched with eyes of wonder
And had traveled from homes afar...
All were drawn to Bethlehem Town
To a stable filled with hay,
Where in a tiny manger stall,
The holy Christ Child lay...
Angels in the heavens high
Sang praises of His birth...
They brought a message of peace and love
To everyone on earth...
On every Christmas morning,
Their message rings out still:
"Glory to God in the highest
And peace to men of good will..."
Oh yes, the night was special;
It was truly filled with love,
For God, our heavenly Father,
Sent us His Son, Jesus, from above...
-<>-
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>The Greatest Gift Of All
"So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is
love." 1 Corinthians Chapter 13
Winter has arrived ahead of schedule this year. Tonight, I look out my
window and see softly falling flakes of snow drifting in the dim light
of the old lamp post in my front yard. How many times I've looked out
and seen this same winterscape I cannot count. I wonder how many times
I've looked at nearly the same scene and went about whatever business
seemed important to me at the time. And how many times I've never
really seen anything at all as life passed by me; and I never really
saw anything. At all.
But tonight I'm feeling wistful and pensive. Not sad. Just thoughtful.
I guess life is flowing by faster than I ever imagined it could. I
suppose none of us at age twenty-five can fathom the value of time;
seasons come and go and here it is Christmastime again. And, it really
felt strange this night to think that Christmas is only about a week
away.
When I was child a whole week to wait for Christmas to arrive seemed a
painfully long time. Counting down the days and hours made it seem even
longer. But Christmas did come - it came and went; it came and went
many times and now here I am, many years older, and hopefully, many
years wiser, looking back over all those Christmases past. A week until
Christmas? And it will come and be gone in a blink of an eye.
As I look back at Christmases past, the ones I remember most are the
ones where I had the least. Perhaps the lavish gifts of the more
prosperous years got in the way of the greatest gift of all. Maybe I
buried the greatest gift under mountains of other less important gifts.
You know the ones, those gifts that soon find their way into the dark,
forgotten corners of cluttered closets. The ones that eventually end up
discarded in the trash.
It's such a difficult time now for the younger people in our world.
It's hard recognize the greatest gift when television commercials try
to teach us that we can buy someone's love with something as cheap as a
diamond. For what kind of love is love that must be purchased?
And, sadly it's true - sometimes it can be very hard to see any
evidence of the true Spirit or Meaning of Christmas anywhere around us
today. But, the Spirit of Christmas is like the wind; just because we
cannot see it, does not mean it is not there. If you keep Christmas in
your heart, then Christmas will be everywhere you go.
Christmas is almost here again. And whether or not anyone believes in
Christmas, does not matter to me. I believe in Christmas. And, all
those like me, who believe in Christmas will keep Christmas alive
despite those who try so hard to destroy it.
It now falls upon those of us who still believe in Christmas to keep
the bright Torch of Christmas burning for this generation and the next.
I am certain that if we do, the glow from that Torch will continue to
light the world. All we have to do is keep the Torch burning. And,
never, ever let it grow dim.
Over two thousand years ago a child was born in Bethlehem and during
His short time upon this earth, He taught everyone, (believer and
non-believer alike) the same lesson: Love others as you love yourself.
This Christmas be an example. Keep the torch of Christmas burning. It
really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks; it only matters what you
think. Say "Merry Christmas" with a smile and you'll keep the the
Spirit of Christmas alive. And it will remain alive forever.
Carry the Torch of Christmas wherever you go, and never let its fire
die. Remember to love those that do not believe as you do as much as
those who do.
Be cheerful and compassionate; be understanding of others and have
faith. Set a shining example by carrying the Torch of Christmas and
holding it high. Let the world see your Christmas spirit and let the
glow from it light the world.
Be gentle, be kind, be understanding; be tolerant of others who do not
believe as you do, in this world there will be many. And be of good
cheer. Remember the Reason for Christmas. Celebrate Christmas in your
own tradition and in your own way because it is your right to do so.
Remember those who are less fortunate than you and help them as much as
you can.
This Christmas remember to give greatest gift of all. The greatest gift
of all costs you nothing. You'll be far richer by giving it than by
receiving it. And even the poorest among you can afford it.
Carry the Torch of Christmas with you during this final week before
Christmas and light the way for others. Say "Merry Christmas" and
really mean it. This is the season of love and peace. Long ago Jesus
came into this world and showed the world His love and brought His
message of peace to all those who would listen. Honor Him this
Christmas by showing the world your love.
Be a bearer of the Torch of Christmas and hold it high for all to see.
Only you can keep the Torch burning. Do it for yourself, do it for your
children and do it for their children. Future generations depend on all
of us who hold Christmas dear to keep Christmas alive. Christmas will
never die as long as we keep Christmas in our hearts and never let the
Torch of Christmas grow dark. Over two thousand years ago, the Star of
Bethlehem shone brightly for all the world to see; let the Spirit of
Christmas within you burn just as brightly - and let all the world see.
This Christmas make the first gift you give the very best one: Give the
greatest gift of all; give the gift of love.
-<>-
>Links for Your Enjoyment
leno photo booth
http://www.buffalosjokes.com/121124.htm
Lucky Tree
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rounds
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marry me
http://www.buffalosjokes.com/121127.htm
Albino White Moose!
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Pencil Furniture!
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Ice Hotel!
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Chinese Wal-Mart
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Expensive Hotel Rooms!
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Christ's Bell!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bell.htm
Come Adore Him!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/comeadorehim.html
BibleStudy: Our Valuable Anchor
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html
BibbleStudy: Who Is Jesus Christ?
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/whoisjesus.html
BibleStudy: Overseer
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/overseer.html
Free On-Line New Testament REV Bible
http://tinyurl.com/d84jc6
Born Again American
http://www.bornagainamerican.org/
Visit our site at http://www.inspiredbuffalo.com
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==============================================================
>-->From Our Friend James :)
T \`. T
| T .--------------.___________) \ | T
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! `--------------' ) ( | !
mn '-' !
>Are You Fulfilling Your Life Purpose?
Imagine a hammer.
A solid, shiny, shimmering hammer.
Expensive. Made of high-grade steel and first-class polished wood.
Now imagine a primitive tribesman from the mountains who has never
seen a hammer in his life. He picks up the hammer, likes it
immediately, and brings it home. And for the next 50 years, he uses
it as a wonderful back scratcher.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
That's all it did for 50 years.
Friends, many people are like that hammer. Because they're not
fulfilling their life purpose, their greatness doesn't come out.
I believe there are four kinds of people on planet earth…
A. Extremely Unhappy people don't know their life purpose.
B. Unhappy people who know their life purpose but don't work on it.
C. Happy people who know their life purpose, work at it, but not daily.
D. Extremely Happy people who know their purpose and work on it daily!
Question: Who are you among these four people?
The 2 Simple Questions That Will Make You Discover Your Life Purpose
How do you know your purpose in life?
So many people think it's complicated. No it's not. In fact, all you
have to do is ask 2 very simple questions.
Here they are:
Question #1: What do you love to do?
Question #2: Where do you excel?
First Question: What do you love to do?
What's the one thing that you do, that when you do it, you feel fire in
your belly? What's your passion? For example, as I write this book to
you, I feel whole. Complete. In the zone. I believe I was born to write!
However, this first question is only 80% accurate.
Proof: Watch the auditions of American Idol. There are some people who
love singing, who sing with passion, who sing like there was no more
tomorrow—but whose voices can be used to torture terrorists to divulge
where Osama Bin Ladin is hiding. As John Maxwell says, you'd wonder if
they have any real friends. Why has no one told them that their singing
voice can cause seizures?
But more often than not, we excel in what we love to do, because we do
it often and with passion.
That's why the Second Question is 100% accurate in discovering your
Life Purpose: Where do you excel?
God has given you a special gift that's indelibly connected to your
life purpose. This is what I call God's anointing in your life.
Make An Inventory Of Your Gifts
To help you discern your Life Purpose, list down your gifts and rate
them from 1 to 10, with 10 being excellent.
Here's my own inventory of talents:
Cooking: 1
I'd rather starve or eat raw, then cook. When I heat water, it
disappears. Need I say more?
Fashion: 1
The only reason why I look presentable when I preach is because of my
friend and top couturier, Adrian Panganiban, who dresses me up.
Otherwise, I will wear teeshirts and sandals everywhere I go.
Mechanical: 1
When my wife asks me to fix things, I obliterate their existence from
the face of the earth. Today, I've learned to fix anything with just
one tool: The Telephone.
Dancing: -10
I tried. We had a concert where I had to take a few dance steps with the
singers. But when I danced on stage, I was like a wooden stick
suffering from epilepsy.
Athletics: 3
Do you know what PE I chose in High School? Chess. Do you know what PE
I chose in College? Health Lectures. I remember that class so well. We
were required to wear rubber shoes and do some stretching at the start
of each class—and all we did was sit down and listen to lectures.
Spelling: 3
In a Spelling Exam, I once got 2 out of 20 items. As a kid, I think I
was semi-dyslexic but it was never diagnosed. Today, there are so many
labels for kids who have a difficult time in school. "He's got a
learning disability" or "The boy has ADHD" or "She has dyslexia". But
back in my time, there were no such thing. I was simply called stupid.
Singing: 5
Yep, I have three music albums of all my original compositions. In
total, I sold 6000 copies. But don't be impressed. My mother bought
half of them to give away to her friends.
Drawing: 5
I love to draw. At least my kids love my drawings.
Business: 5
I'm a late bloomer here. So far, my businesses are doing very well. But
I know I've got a long way to grow.
Leadership: 7
I love leading people because leadership is all about loving
relationships. But I'm a 7 because I need to learn so much more.
Writing and Preaching: 9
As you can see, this is my anointing. But I'm not a 10 because that
would mean I have nothing to learn anymore. Would you believe that even
if I've been preaching for 30 years, I'm still honing my craft,
watching how other great preachers preach?
Be a Genius!
Do you know why people are unsuccessful?
Two reasons:
1. They don't know their anointing.
2. Or they know their anointing, but don't work on it.
I learned that there are two kinds of geniuses in this world.
First are the geniuses that win Trivia Game Shows, like "Who Wants To
Be A Millionaire?" That's not want you want to be. This type of genius
is good only for, well, Trivia Game Shows.
You want to be the second type of genius: These are people who focus
their attention, time, and energy on one thing.
What's your one thing?
In my own life, my "one thing" is communicating God's love to others.
Today, I'm probably the highest paid corporate speaker in the country.
When companies invite me to speak, I charge then an arm and a leg. I do
this in part to raise money for our ministries. Just between you and
me, these companies don't know that if they only send their employees
to our weekly prayer meetings called The Feast, they can hear me preach
for free. (Shhh, don't tell anyone I told you this.)
But the reason I can charge an arm and leg is because I've been
speaking to crowds for the past 30 years.
Starting at age 13, I was preaching everywhere. All for free. I'd
preach in schools, prisons, old folks homes, barrios, hospitals, and
the slums. Even while I was studying in school, I'd preach nightly.
Caloocan on Sundays, Alabang on Mondays, Cubao on Tuesdays, etc… On
weekends, I'd preach in Laguna, La Union, Ilocos Sur…
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talked about how successful
people clocked in an average of 10,000 hours to their craft before they
hit it big.
That's me.
And that can be you too—if you focus your life on your anointing.
Follow Your Anointing
In the Bible, anointing was done for kings and prophets. They would
pour a large amount of oil on the person's head, indicating that he is
totally set-aside for a specific purpose.
Today, we associate anointing for religious professions only: For
priests or pastors or preachers only.
I don't believe in that.
I believe God has anointed people to be entrepreneurs, to be bakers, to
be chefs, to be beauticians, to be accountants, to be administrators,
to be stock brokers, to be engineers, to be doctors, to be mothers, to
be farmers…
This is how you are to serve others.
This is how you are to bless the world.
Anointed For Business?
Ed Silvoso, author of Anointed For Business, wrote how he was
running three businesses and impacting the marketplace with God's love.
Many times, he would be an informal pastor to his business associates,
bringing God's Presence in smoke-filled rooms and parties.
But church people looked down on his profession. They kept badgering
him to become a pastor. They said, "When are you going to go into the
ministry? You don't live by faith but by sight. At work you hang around
sinners, people who drink and smoke. You have a calling on your life.
Don't be rebellious. Leave everything and go into the ministry."
Yet every time the church needed money, they would go to him!
Years later, he left his businesses and became a pastor. In the
process, he decreased his income by 30 times. But he was doing it out
of obedience to God.
Yet after a few years, a powerful revelation came to him. He realized
that beneath all the shame was an authentic anointing from God to be a
businessman.
Here's what he learned: That the anointing of a businessman wasn't
lower than the anointing of a pastor. Both are necessary in the Kingdom
of God.
I love that.
A Formula For Mediocrity & Success
Let me tell you why many people live mediocre lives.
Because they put 80% of their attention, time, and energy on their
weakness, and put 20% of their attention, time, and energy on
developing their strengths.
If I take this approach, then I'll enroll in Dancing lessons and
Culinary Arts.
This is insane. Because no matter how much I study, I'll never become a
fantastic dancer or a world-class chef.
The formula for success is this:
First, forget your weakness. Delegate them. Outsource them.
And then focus 80% of your attention, time, and energy on developing
your strengths. Be the very best in this one thing.
And put the last 20% in developing new strengths. (For me, it's running
business and creating passive income.)
Today, I focus almost all my time in writing and preaching.
And I've tasted great success because of this sharp focus.
A flashlight and a laser are both made of the same element: Light. But
a laser is a thousand times more powerful than a flashlight because
it's focused light.
A flashlight is pretty harmless, but a laser can cut through the
thickest steel.
When a person is focused on one thing, he becomes powerful too.
I'm A Preacher For The Marketplace
After 30 years of preaching, I've become even more focused.
And you should be too!
Today, I just don't just have an anointing to preach. That's too
general.
I've discovered that I have an anointing to preach to the Unchurched.
In other words, I have an anointing to communicate God's love to
outsiders. To people who aren't religious. To people who don't feel
comfortable in church. To people who feel distant from God. To people
who won't go to prayer meetings.
One day, a woman came up to me and asked, "Bo, why don't you preach
more about doctrines? Why don't you talk about the deeper spiritual
truths?"
I smiled and said, "I love doctrines. There are wonderful priests who
can explain them better than I do. Personally, I don't think it's my
gift. I'm a layman, so I preach about the practical things of life.
Like how to build a family, or how to handle money, or how to grow in
your relationship with God as a lay person immersed in the world.
If you check my blog at www.BoSanchez.ph, you'll read thousands of
comments from my readers. Some of them say something like this: "I'm
not a religious person, but I really like your articles." Wow. When I
read that, I know I'm hitting my gold. This is my anointing: To talk to
those who aren't religious.
I'm anointed to preach not in Church—in the traditional sense of the
word. Instead, I'm anointed to preach in the Marketplace. (By the way, I
consider our prayer meeting, The Feast, a part of the Marketplace.
Because The Feast is totally focused on outsiders, not insiders. We
welcome everyone. We welcome all seekers. We welcome unbelievers,
non-Christians, addicts, adulterers, alcoholics, prostitutes, and
believe it or not, even corrupt government officials. We welcome all
those who feel they are far from God.)
This focusing on my life purpose has blessed me so much.
My prayer for you: May you find your anointing and give your whole
life to your anointing. And be very happy.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
---
...Great Advice! Thank You James.
_______
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/_______/ / My two cents...
jgs ((______| /
`"""""""` For Christians:
Paul and I have always told our kids to do what they love doing in
life. Your job should be something you enjoy. You have to spend
much of your life working so why not do what you love doing? Life
is all about choices. We choose our way.
The bible teaches us to do ALL to the glory of God...
1 Cor.10:
[31] Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.
And Do It as if you are doing it for the Lord Jesus Christ...
Col.3:
[23] And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men;
[24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
So, with that in mind, it makes perfect sense to do what you
love doing. If you are doing what you don't enjoy doing, it is
a real attitude adjustment to be happy and doing your work
joyfully as if you are actually serving the one and only
begotten Son of God who gave his life for you so you might have
eternal life!
If your job sucks it is hard to be thankful and give God the glory!
Sure, you can be thankful for the paycheck, but it is not what you
are meant to do in life. You have special abilities! As a child of
God you are part of the body of Christ!
1 Cor.12
[27] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
That means you have a special purpose. Just as your body has
special purposes. The hands, fingers, toes, eyes, ears, etc.
We are part of the body of Christ so we have special purposes.
We are not all toes, or feet, or eyes or lips. We each have
a special God given ability.
God chose us to be His children before the foundation of the
world. Eph.1:4
See bible study:
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Choose His children
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/choosehischildren.html
That means He knows exactly who and what contribution we will
make to the body of Christ. If we follow our heart and do what
we love to do, then we will excel at it and love what we are doing
and be the best we can be for God through Jesus Christ.
That's our calling.
I am most pleased to do all I can to serve my Lord and savior
Jesus Christ! The bible says I am doing this every time I eat,
drink, work, or play and I give God the glory by being thankful
and doing it heartily as if I am actually serving my Lord!
Isn't that awesome?
Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord...
Dictionary meaning of Heartily...
# From the heart; with all the heart; with sincerity.
# (adv.) With zeal; actively; vigorously; willingly; cordially;
as, he heartily assisted the prince
That's what we are supposed to do to serve our Lord Now.
AND we watch for those extra opportunities God gives us to
gain brownie points with Him and please Him even more!
See this great bible study...
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A KAIROS Moment
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/kairosmoment.html
============================================================
"The best of all gifts around any
Christmas tree is the presence
of a happy family all wrapped
up in each other."
-- Burton Hill
>Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy!
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